Max Ashford
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drums Teacher
Max teaches guitar, bass, and drums at School of Rock Colorado Springs. Originally from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Max brings over 13 years of guitar experience and a passion for heavy, melodic music to the classroom. A dedicated musician and songwriter, he enjoys sharing his knowledge and helping students find their own musical voice.
Outside of teaching, Max spends his time writing music, gaming, and attending concerts. His favorite bands include Children of Bodom, Machine Head, Insomnium, and Seven Spires. One of his most memorable concert experiences was seeing Seven Spires and Omnium Gatherum live.
Max’s teaching style is informed by his love of metal and deep understanding of rhythm and melody, making his lessons both challenging and inspiring for students of all levels.
Evan Bingham
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drums Teacher
Hailing from Colorado Springs, Evan brings a diverse background in performance, songwriting, and music appreciation to School of Rock. A former 3+ year member of the School of Rock Colorado Springs House Band, he is currently pursuing a BA in Psychology and Business at UCCS and holds an Associate of General Studies from Pikes Peak State College.
When not teaching or performing, Evan enjoys songwriting, record collecting, hiking, and staying active. His musical influences include Radiohead, Prince, Beck, and Kings of Leon, and his teaching style draws inspiration from the raw energy of Beck and Cage the Elephant.
With a deep love for both the art and discipline of music, Evan is passionate about helping students grow as confident, creative performers.
Bret Chadwick
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Bret is a bass, guitar and vocal teacher at School of Rock Colorado Springs. He has been involved in music for the better part of 50 years. He began training as a vocalist at the age of 6 and started trying out the guitar at age 9. He spent most of his time in high school in the chorus, performing in the Pop Choir, Chorale, Men's Quartet and the school choir. In his senior year, he was unanimously elected President of the choir. During these years Bret was able to get the rudimentary guitar instruction he sought. After this Bret pursued playing in bands, writing songs, and performing on stage while learning more about music every step on his journey.
John DeLoach
Music Director
John is a show director and guitar, bass guitar, keyboard + piano, and drums teacher at School of Rock Colorado Springs. He received two bachelors of science degrees from the University of Colorado-Denver, in both recording arts and music business. Since graduation, John released two full length solo albums, and produced a third for legendary trumpeter DJ Horn.
Over the last two decades, he created numerous bands ranging in genre from metal to jazz. John also specializes in waveform synthesis and counterpoint composition. He loves all aspects of music and hopes teaching music can excite his passion in others. John listens mostly to progressive and experimental metal genres, but also dabbles in electronic compositions.
Mark Esch
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Mark is primarily a guitar teacher at Colorado Springs School of Rock. He has played guitar for 12 years and specializes in metal, rock, and jazz. Mark has an understanding of theory, technique, and effective practice habits that he has cultivated from earning his degree in jazz performance at the University of Northern Colorado. He also has experience teaching beginning to advanced players. Students looking for advanced techniques such as tapping, sweeping, alternate picking, hybrid picking, and economy picking will find explanations and improvement under Mark’s instruction. He is very dedicated to the guitar and hopes to extend the passion to students. Although Mark’s typical instruction is on guitar, he also offers bass and beginning to intermediate drum lessons.
Zay Friedrichs
Drums Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocals Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Zay teaches guitar, bass, keys, vocals, and drums at School of Rock Colorado Springs. A passionate musician and educator, he’s been involved in music from a young age and even earned a spot in the Colorado All-State Choir during high school. He is currently pursuing a degree in Music Education and enjoys sharing his knowledge not just with students, but with peers as well.
When he's not in the rehearsal room, Zay loves listening to a wide variety of artists—from Chet Baker and Ado to Lil Nas X and First of October. His first concert was the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, and he proudly calls Colorado Springs home.
Roewyn Korwek
Drums Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocals Teacher
Roewyn teaches drums, bass guitar, beginner keyboard + piano, guitar, vocals, and Rookies at School of Rock Colorado Springs. A proud graduate of the program and former House Band member herself, she brings a hands-on, energetic approach to teaching and loves inspiring the next generation of rockers.
As a multi-instrumentalist and active performer in the Colorado Springs and Denver music scenes, Roewyn has played with a variety of bands and also works as a music photographer. Her top priority is creating a safe, engaging space for students to grow their skills and confidence. Roewyn is passionate about helping every student discover their voice and have fun while doing it.
Ripley Hicks
Vocals Teacher
Ripley is a former School of Rock student with over 13 years of vocals experience spanning rock, metal, choral, a cappella, classical, pop, and musical theater. She has performed at renowned venues and festivals including Summerfest, House of Blues Dallas, and the Denver Coliseum.
A graduate of CU Denver with a bachelor's degree in Music Business, Ripley is also the lead vocalist of the progressive rock band Inertia Machine. She now teaches vocals at School of Rock Colorado Springs, where she brings her performance experience and passion for music into every lesson.
Mike Lupton
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Mike is a guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and singing teacher at our school. A native of New Orleans, he received a soloist award from Loyola University Jazz Invitational for his saxophone performance. He studied music education at Southeastern Louisiana University. He has been touring and performing across the nation for over twenty years. He is very excited to teach at School of Rock Colorado Springs.
Zach Taggart
Drums Teacher, Vocals Teacher
Zach teaches drums and vocals at School of Rock Colorado Springs. A Colorado Springs native with over 22 years of drumming experience, he brings both passion and depth to every lesson. Zach holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado, and his performance background enhances his dynamic teaching style.
When he's not behind the kit, Zach enjoys golfing, cooking, reading, skiing, and diving into tabletop games like D&D, Magic: The Gathering, and cribbage. His musical tastes span genres and decades—some of his favorite artists include Pink Floyd, Arctic Monkeys, Led Zeppelin, LCD Soundsystem, Gorillaz, Rush, The Beatles, Chuck Mangione, and The Moody Blues. One of his all-time favorite concert experiences was seeing Arctic Monkeys live at Red Rocks in 2014.
Zach loves helping students build confidence and creativity through music, and he’s always ready to meet them where they are and help them grow.
Domino Vertucci
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocals Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Domino Vertucci teaches guitar, vocals, piano, and bass at School of Rock Colorado Springs. He is the first graduate to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Music from UCCS and is a professional performing and studio musician. Domino has spent thousands of hours honing his technique across multiple instruments—a skill set he credits to his absolute pitch and synesthesia. In addition to teaching and performing, he is an accomplished producer, engineer, songwriter, and composer.
Raised on rock ‘n’ roll, Domino brings a deep love for the genre into every lesson, but he also enjoys exploring metal, jazz, country, blues, and pop. His passion for music and versatile background make him a dynamic and inspiring mentor for students of all levels.
Elia Yocum
Vocals Teacher
Elia is a passionate vocal teacher at School of Rock Colorado Springs with a diverse background in performance and a deep connection to the local music scene. From musical theater to fronting rock bands, she brings a wealth of experience to her teaching. Elia is a versatile vocalist, skilled in a variety of genres including jazz, rock, country, and blues.
In addition to her vocal work, Elia is a multi-instrumentalist who plays harmonica, ukulele, and even the spoons—adding unique depth to her lessons. Her energetic and creative approach encourages students to explore their own musical identity, while her real-world performance experience provides valuable insight into stage presence and expression.
Elia is dedicated to helping vocalists of all skill levels grow in confidence, technique, and creativity. She leads with patience and enthusiasm, inspiring students to find their voice and enjoy every step of their musical journey.